Focus E15: young mothers…. together (Juventud Rebelde, May 2, 2015)

Focus E15: young mothers…. together

Jasmin Stone, aged 20 years, is a young member of the Cuba Vive brigade, who has had an intense experience in the Focus E15 campaign of 29 young mothers.

Juventud Rebelde
digital@juventudrebelde.cu
2 May 2015

Translation by Helen Yaffe.
Edited by Walter Lippmann.
Brigada Cuba Vive

Jasmin Stone, age 20, is a young member of the Cuba Vive brigade, who has had an intense experience in the Focus E15 campaign of 29 young mothers in East London, who lacked housing and were exposed to social services cutbacks.

When in August 2013 they protested in public, they were told that had to leave and live outside of London. Then they approached the Revolutionary Communist Group and asked for help and together they organised a campaign, “our voices were not being heard before we joined with the Group; afterwards this changed” she said.

They denounced their situation in public marches and occupied social housing left empty for a long time. Because of this, in numerous other places in London, people inspired by their struggle opened up other buildings.

‘The state claims not to have these houses. They are given to private companies and this means that single mothers are thrown out and they want to send us outside of London on the pretext that there is nowhere else to house them’ Jasmin explains.

Finally the 29 mothers obtained houses within Newham, but now they are struggling to help others. ‘The local council believed that giving us houses would end the case, but we said ‘No! now we are going to struggle for everyone else!’

Every week we have a Focus E15 information stall. If we hear about an eviction, we mobilise to stop the police evicting. What’s more, we organise to open empty houses. If a private company buys a whole neighbourhood and lots of people receive an eviction notice, we mobilise to occupy the place’, says the young woman who reports having suffered police repression.

Juventud Rebelde
digital@juventudrebelde.cu
2 de Mayo del 2015 20:15:18 CDT

Focus E15: Jóvenes madres....acompañadas

Brigada Cuba Vive
Jasmin Stone es una joven brigadista de Cuba Vive que, con 20 años, atesora intensas vivencias en la campaña Focus E15 de 29 madres jóvenes que, en el este de Londres, carecían de viviendas y están expuestas a recortes sociales.

Cuando en agosto de 2013 se expresaron en lugares públicos, les dijeron que tenían que desalojar e ir a vivir fuera de Londres. Entonces se acercaron al Grupo Comunista, le pidieron ayuda y juntos organizaron la campaña.

«Antes de unirnos al Grupo, nuestras voces no eran escuchadas; desde que lo hicimos, eso cambió», afirma.

Denunciaron su situación en marchas públicas y ocuparon viviendas sociales que estuvieron mucho tiempo vacías. Como consecuencia de eso, en varios sitios de Londres, personas inspiradas por su lucha abrieron otros edificios.

«Aparentemente, el Estado no tiene esas casas. Las emplean para compañías privadas y eso hace que madres solas sean sacadas y se les quiera enviar a las afueras de Londres con el pretexto de que no hay dónde colocarlas», relata Jasmin.

Al fin, las 29 madres obtuvieron casas dentro de Newhand, pero ahora luchan por otras: «Al darlas, el Consejo de Gobierno local creía que cerraba el caso, pero dijimos: ‘¡No, ahora vamos a luchar por todos!’

«Todas las semanas tenemos mesa de información de Focus E15. Si nos enteramos de un desahucio, nos activamos para impedir que la Policía desaloje. Además, nos organizamos para abrir casas desocupadas. Si una empresa privada compra un barrio completo y mucha gente recibe noticias de desahucio, nos movilizamos para ocupar el lugar», relata la joven, que refiere haber sufrido represión policial.

http://www.juventudrebelde.cu/internacionales/2015-05-02/focus-e15-jovenes-madres-acompanadas/

		Focus E15: young mothers…. together Jasmin Stone, aged 20 years, is a young member of the Cuba Vive brigade, who has had an intense experience in the Focus E15 campaign of 29 young mothers. Juventud Rebelde digital@juventudrebelde.cu 2 May 2015 Translation by Helen Yaffe. Edited by Walter Lippmann. Jasmin Stone, age 20, is a young member of the Cuba Vive brigade, who has had an intense experience in the Focus E15 campaign of 29 young mothers in East London, who lacked housing and were exposed to social services cutbacks. When in August 2013 they protested in public, they were told that had to leave and live outside of London. Then they approached the Revolutionary Communist Group and asked for help and together they organised a campaign, “our voices were not being heard before we joined with the Group; afterwards this changed” she said. They denounced their situation in public marches and occupied social housing left empty for a long time. Because of this, in numerous other places in London, people inspired by their struggle opened up other buildings. ‘The state claims not to have these houses. They are given to private companies and this means that single mothers are thrown out and they want to send us outside of London on the pretext that there is nowhere else to house them’ Jasmin explains. Finally the 29 mothers obtained houses within Newham, but now they are struggling to help others. ‘The local council believed that giving us houses would end the case, but we said ‘No! now we are going to struggle for everyone else!’ Every week we have a Focus E15 information stall. If we hear about an eviction, we mobilise to stop the police evicting. What’s more, we organise to open empty houses. If a private company buys a whole neighbourhood and lots of people receive an eviction notice, we mobilise to occupy the place’, says the young woman who reports having suffered police repression.
		Juventud Rebelde digital@juventudrebelde.cu 2 de Mayo del 2015 20:15:18 CDT Focus E15: Jóvenes madres....acompañadas Jasmin Stone es una joven brigadista de Cuba Vive que, con 20 años, atesora intensas vivencias en la campaña Focus E15 de 29 madres jóvenes que, en el este de Londres, carecían de viviendas y están expuestas a recortes sociales. Cuando en agosto de 2013 se expresaron en lugares públicos, les dijeron que tenían que desalojar e ir a vivir fuera de Londres. Entonces se acercaron al Grupo Comunista, le pidieron ayuda y juntos organizaron la campaña. «Antes de unirnos al Grupo, nuestras voces no eran escuchadas; desde que lo hicimos, eso cambió», afirma. Denunciaron su situación en marchas públicas y ocuparon viviendas sociales que estuvieron mucho tiempo vacías. Como consecuencia de eso, en varios sitios de Londres, personas inspiradas por su lucha abrieron otros edificios. «Aparentemente, el Estado no tiene esas casas. Las emplean para compañías privadas y eso hace que madres solas sean sacadas y se les quiera enviar a las afueras de Londres con el pretexto de que no hay dónde colocarlas», relata Jasmin. Al fin, las 29 madres obtuvieron casas dentro de Newhand, pero ahora luchan por otras: «Al darlas, el Consejo de Gobierno local creía que cerraba el caso, pero dijimos: ‘¡No, ahora vamos a luchar por todos!’ «Todas las semanas tenemos mesa de información de Focus E15. Si nos enteramos de un desahucio, nos activamos para impedir que la Policía desaloje. Además, nos organizamos para abrir casas desocupadas. Si una empresa privada compra un barrio completo y mucha gente recibe noticias de desahucio, nos movilizamos para ocupar el lugar», relata la joven, que refiere haber sufrido represión policial. http://www.juventudrebelde.cu/internacionales/2015-05-02/focus-e15-jovenes-madres-acompanadas/